* new option to lazy load achievements icons in memory when they're requested, rather than loading them on the next call to the run callback

* move stats options in the ini to a separate section [main::stats]

dll/dll/settings.h

@@ -257,6 +257,9 @@ public:
     // when a stat that's tied to an achievement gets a new value, should the emu save that progress only if it's higher?
     // the stat itself is always saved regardless of that flag, only affects the achievement progress
     bool save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress = true;
+    // the emulator loads the achievements icons is memory mainly for `ISteamUserStats::GetAchievementIcon()`
+    // true means load icons lazily when they are requested, otherwise load icons as soon as the interface ISteamUserStats is initialized
+    bool lazy_load_achievements_icons = true;
 
     // bypass to make SetAchievement() always return true, prevent some games from breaking
     bool achievement_bypass = false;

dll/settings_parser.cpp

@@ -1364,18 +1364,6 @@ static void parse_simple_features(class Settings *settings_client, class Setting
     settings_client->steam_deck = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "steam_deck", settings_client->steam_deck);
     settings_server->steam_deck = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "steam_deck", settings_server->steam_deck);
 
-    settings_client->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "disable_leaderboards_create_unknown", settings_client->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown);
-    settings_server->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "disable_leaderboards_create_unknown", settings_server->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown);
-
-    settings_client->allow_unknown_stats = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "allow_unknown_stats", settings_client->allow_unknown_stats);
-    settings_server->allow_unknown_stats = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "allow_unknown_stats", settings_server->allow_unknown_stats);
-
-    settings_client->stat_achievement_progress_functionality = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "stat_achievement_progress_functionality", settings_client->stat_achievement_progress_functionality);
-    settings_server->stat_achievement_progress_functionality = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "stat_achievement_progress_functionality", settings_server->stat_achievement_progress_functionality);
-
-    settings_client->save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress", settings_client->save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress);
-    settings_server->save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress", settings_server->save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress);
-
     settings_client->immediate_gameserver_stats = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "immediate_gameserver_stats", settings_client->immediate_gameserver_stats);
     settings_server->immediate_gameserver_stats = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "immediate_gameserver_stats", settings_server->immediate_gameserver_stats);
 
@@ -1420,6 +1408,25 @@ static void parse_simple_features(class Settings *settings_client, class Setting
     settings_server->enable_builtin_preowned_ids = ini.GetBoolValue("main::misc", "enable_steam_preowned_ids", settings_server->enable_builtin_preowned_ids);
 }
 
+// [main::stats]
+static void parse_stats_features(class Settings *settings_client, class Settings *settings_server)
+{
+    settings_client->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown = ini.GetBoolValue("main::stats", "disable_leaderboards_create_unknown", settings_client->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown);
+    settings_server->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown = ini.GetBoolValue("main::stats", "disable_leaderboards_create_unknown", settings_server->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown);
+
+    settings_client->allow_unknown_stats = ini.GetBoolValue("main::stats", "allow_unknown_stats", settings_client->allow_unknown_stats);
+    settings_server->allow_unknown_stats = ini.GetBoolValue("main::stats", "allow_unknown_stats", settings_server->allow_unknown_stats);
+
+    settings_client->stat_achievement_progress_functionality = ini.GetBoolValue("main::stats", "stat_achievement_progress_functionality", settings_client->stat_achievement_progress_functionality);
+    settings_server->stat_achievement_progress_functionality = ini.GetBoolValue("main::stats", "stat_achievement_progress_functionality", settings_server->stat_achievement_progress_functionality);
+
+    settings_client->save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress = ini.GetBoolValue("main::stats", "save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress", settings_client->save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress);
+    settings_server->save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress = ini.GetBoolValue("main::stats", "save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress", settings_server->save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress);
+
+    settings_client->lazy_load_achievements_icons = ini.GetBoolValue("main::stats", "lazy_load_achievements_icons", settings_client->lazy_load_achievements_icons);
+    settings_server->lazy_load_achievements_icons = ini.GetBoolValue("main::stats", "lazy_load_achievements_icons", settings_server->lazy_load_achievements_icons);
+}
+
 
 
 static std::map<SettingsItf, std::string> old_itfs_map{};
@@ -1673,6 +1680,7 @@ uint32 create_localstorage_settings(Settings **settings_client_out, Settings **s
     settings_server->set_supported_languages(supported_languages);
 
     parse_simple_features(settings_client, settings_server);
+    parse_stats_features(settings_client, settings_server);
 
     parse_dlc(settings_client, settings_server);
     parse_installed_app_Ids(settings_client, settings_server);

post_build/steam_settings.EXAMPLE/configs.main.EXAMPLE.ini

@@ -15,6 +15,26 @@ steam_deck=0
 # 1=enable avatar functionality
 # default=0
 enable_account_avatar=0
+# 1=synchronize user stats/achievements with game servers as soon as possible instead of caching them until the next call to `Steam_RunCallbacks()`
+# not recommended to enable this
+# default=0
+immediate_gameserver_stats=0
+# 1=use the proper type of the server list (internet, friends, etc...) when requested by the game
+# 0=always return the type of the server list as "LAN server"
+# not recommended to enable this
+# default=0
+matchmaking_server_list_actual_type=0
+# 1=grab the server details for match making using an actual server query
+# 0=use the info from the local network messages shared between client/server
+# not recommended to enable this, currently breaks some games
+# default=0
+matchmaking_server_details_via_source_query=0
+# very basic crash logger/printer
+# this is intended to debug some annoying scenarios, and best used with the debug build of the emu
+# default=
+crash_printer_location=./path/relative/to/dll/crashes.txt
+
+[main::stats]
 # 1=prevent `Steam_User_Stats::FindLeaderboard()` from always succeeding and creating the unknown leaderboard
 # not recommended to enable this
 # default=0
@@ -39,24 +59,13 @@ stat_achievement_progress_functionality=1
 # also has no impact on the functions which directly change stats, achievements, or achievements progress
 # default=1
 save_only_higher_stat_achievement_progress=1
-# 1=synchronize user stats/achievements with game servers as soon as possible instead of caching them until the next call to `Steam_RunCallbacks()`
+# the emulator loads the achievements icons is memory
-# not recommended to enable this
+# this is needed for APIs like `ISteamUserStats::GetAchievementIcon()`
-# default=0
+# the loaded icon size is controlled by [overlay::appearance] -> Icon_Size, in configs.overlay.ini
-immediate_gameserver_stats=0
+# 1=load icons lazily when they are requested
-# 1=use the proper type of the server list (internet, friends, etc...) when requested by the game
+# 0=load icons as soon as the interface ISteamUserStats is initialized
-# 0=always return the type of the server list as "LAN server"
+# default=1
-# not recommended to enable this
+lazy_load_achievements_icons=1
-# default=0
-matchmaking_server_list_actual_type=0
-# 1=grab the server details for match making using an actual server query
-# 0=use the info from the local network messages shared between client/server
-# not recommended to enable this, currently breaks some games
-# default=0
-matchmaking_server_details_via_source_query=0
-# very basic crash logger/printer
-# this is intended to debug some annoying scenarios, and best used with the debug build of the emu
-# default=
-crash_printer_location=./path/relative/to/dll/crashes.txt
 
 [main::connectivity]
 # 1=prevent hooking OS networking APIs and allow any external requests